Nainital: Nainital, the lake city of Uttarakhand, is famous all over the world for its natural beauty, serene valleys and rich history. But amidst this beauty, a serious question has arisen, will the historical heritage of the city lose its identity under the guise of development? Company Garden, located near Mallital Rickshaw Stand and adjacent to Boat House Club, is also raising this question.
Actually, the Silver Jubilee of the state of Uttarakhand is being celebrated to commemorate the completion of 25 years, under which the decision to build a Silver Park has also been taken by the government. This historic Company Garden has been marked by Nainital Municipality to be converted as Rajat Park. The work of building an open gym, pathway, murals and a new gate is going on here at a cost of about Rs 49 lakh. But local residents and environment lovers are worried about this.
heavy construction alarm bell
These days, deep digging and movement of heavy construction materials can be seen in the Company Garden. While on one hand the incidents of landslides and land subsidence are continuously increasing around Naini Lake, on the other hand cracks are already visible on the walls of the lake. In such a situation, such heavy construction very close to the lake can prove to be an alarm bell for the lake.
Was victim of a massive landslide in 1880
Famous historian Professor Ajay Rawat, resident of Nainital, says that Company Garden is not only a park but also a cultural and historical heritage of the city. It was built in the 19th century and is linked to the history of the Boat House Club and the Yacht Club. Pro. Rawat tells that in the massive landslide of 1880, the Narayani Devi temple located above this garden, Sher Ka Danda, was buried under the debris that came from the hill. Later during the excavation, temple bells were found at this place, which further increased the religious and historical importance of this place.
Company Garden is the soul of the city
During the British era, the tradition of organizing children’s painting competition in autumn was also going on for the last few years. The beautiful view of the lake seen from here is rare. Company Garden always appears as a prominent place in the old photographs of Nainital. This garden decorated with flowers is a part of the image of Nainital. Changing it is like changing the soul of the city.
Will historical heritage be erased?
Pro. Rawat believes that new construction in the name of beautification of this garden will destroy its traditional identity. The area from Band Stand to Capital Cinema has been historically important. The new constructions will cover the natural beauty of this place and the very beautiful view of Naini Lake visible from here will also be disrupted.
Danger looming over Naini Lake
Professor Rawat has also given an important warning. He told that the load carrying capacity of Nainital has already been exhausted. In such a situation, carrying out heavy construction on the lake banks without Geological Survey of India or any geological investigation is risky. He said that continuous cracks can be seen in the walls below the band stand and incidents of land subsidence have also been reported here in the past years, hence if this construction continues, then the lake and the entire surrounding area may be in great danger in the future.
What sacrifice will nature make in the name of development?
It is necessary to beautify Nainital and increase facilities for tourists, but this process should not be done by endangering the environment and historical heritage of the city. Company Garden is not just a park but also the identity of Nainital. In this conflict between development and conservation, the question now is whether it is right to sacrifice our history and nature in the name of development?
